Survey of healthcare professional’s attitudes and beliefs about blood sampling
We will carry out a national survey to assess hospital staff attitudes and beliefs about blood culture sampling for acute patients.
We will recruit a sample of 300 survey participants including staff who prescribe antibiotics and request blood samples, and members of healthcare staff groups who take blood, through a pre-existing national staff cohort. The survey questionnaire design is informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour and theories of collective action. It includes a self-assessment of engagement in blood culture sampling; rating of attitudes, perceived social norms, and behavioural control in relation to blood culture sampling. We will also assess perceived barriers and facilitators to blood culture sampling, and ask about the impact of quicker return of results, and improved positivity rates, on attitudes and intended behaviours. Data analysis will include descriptive statistics of beliefs and perceived barriers and facilitators, and in blood culture sampling.
Outputs:
Information on attitudinal drivers of blood culture sampling behaviours, will inform the co-design process;
Publication on healthcare staff attitudes and beliefs about blood culture sampling will be produced.